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“We all are,” Gabe replies. “This is kind of the point of doing this task—that, and I can’t stand another minute in the sauna.Really, this place is the most boring, inefficient set in the entire world.”
“I’ve been on way worse sets,” Forrest volunteers.
“I keep forgetting that you’re a bona fide real actor, Mr. Hollywood,” Gabe retorts sarcastically before turning back to the wood pile he has collected and gathering his cuts, dumping them on the table next to the fire pit. “I don’t have a lot of time to watch movies.”
I glance at Forrest to see if he’s offended by Gabe’s nonchalance, but he’s already back to his own pile of wood as if he can’t hear us.
“Aren’t you worried about Stella?” I ask, already sensing what Gabe’s response will be.
“Nope,” he answers predictably. “She can absolutely handle herself, and they’re not going to fire her.”
“I agree,” Forrest concedes, proving that he is still listening in on the conversation. “She’s one of the strongest women I’ve ever met.”
Gabe stops his work and wipes his brow, eying me for a moment. “Forrest, we need to discuss something with you?—”
“I already know,” Forrest interjects, continuing his own chopping without missing a beat. “The walls are thick, but they’re not that thick.” Amazed, I gape at him with Gabe, but again, Forrest is unfazed. “We’re all adults here, boys. If Stella consents, who am I to stand in your way?”
I have no comment, my mind whirling at the completely different relationship we have branched into with Stella.
“But she should be here before we discuss this any further,” he adds, and I agree.
“I wish she’d at least text and let us know she’s all right,” I say. “She hasn’t reached out to either of you?”
Both men confirm they have not heard from her.
“Why did they drag her all the way back to California, though?” I grumble. “They could have had a meeting with her here.”
“Power,” Forrest suggests. “They want to drag her onto their turf.”
I can’t shake the feeling that they brought her to LA because she’s not returning. And no matter how much Gabe attempts to distract us with this side project, I’m still troubled.
“And because the suits don’t travel well,” Forrest explains. “She’ll be back in no time. You’ll see.”
“And we won’t have this done because you’re too busy daydreaming,” Gabe jokes. “Stressing about it won’t bring her back any faster, Benny Boy.”
The nickname is irksome, but I let it go. They both bring up good points. Stella can handle herself.
Forrest grills up burgers for lunch on the barbecue as Gabe hammers the freshly sanded wood pieces together.
“Where did you learn how to do all that?” I’m compelled to ask, my voice filled with admiration. I wouldn’t have guessed an hour and a half ago that all those broken pieces of tree would make this stunning creation.
Gabe chuckles through the nails in his pursed lips. “Not everyone was born super-rich,” he mumbles half-coherently.
A flush of embarrassment floods through me as I remember he earned his first billion through his own innovation; it wasn’t inherited—despite the fact that his family did have money… I think.
I can’t recall much about his family history, though, and truthfully, I’d never looked into it. Suddenly, I find myself curious about Gabriel Hanson.
“I wasn’t born rich,” Forrest quips. “And I have no damn idea how you built that thing.”
“You’re an actor,” Gabe counters, and Forrest kicks a stone in his direction, snickering. “You hire people to do shit for you.”
Forrest calls us to sit down and eat, but Gabe is determined to put the piece together before touching his burger, his eyes constantly darting toward the gate as if he expects the wrought iron bars to part any second. But when he hammers the final nail in the top and washes his hands, Stella still hasn’t returned from her meeting with the producers.
I don’t want to bring it up again, lest I put a damper on the mood, but I’m getting concerned as the afternoon sun begins to sink in the sky.
“This is good,” Gabe says with feigned optimism. “It gives us a chance to stain it together before she gets here.”
I remain silent, biting into my juicy patty and relishing Forrest’s cooking skills. Not bad for an actor who hires someone to do everything for him.
